Davenport U.S. Courthouse

Challenge

Design the exterior and interior restoration of an historic federal courthouse to retain its grandeur, structural integrity and significance for the community and on the National Register of Historic Places.

Process

Our design team coordinated with the State Historic Preservation Office for all restoration measures, and with GSA representatives to meet all project goals in a quality manner, on time and within budget.

Solution

The restoration of the 74,382 SF courthouse preserves the 1933 building’s Art Deco style for current and future federal employees and visitors, and was completed without disrupting courthouse operations. The exterior Kasota travertine limestone and polished granite were restored through complete tuckpointing, stone repair and stone replacement. Interior restoration elements included marble flooring/wainscoting and hand carved millwork of walnut and laurelwood, and elevator doors and fixtures were reconstruction with period materials and detailing. In response to flooding of the existing basement and portions of the first floor during major storm events, SFS provided emergency architectural and engineering services to design improvements to mitigate further water infiltration, completed in an accelerated time frame due to imminent flooding threat.